I am really torn about this object. On the one hand, the apartment was absolutely, stunningly beautiful - high ceilings, turn-of-the-century furniture and interiors, a balcony big enough that it wasn't necessary to schlep everything from the 1st floor (where the apartment is) downstairs into the garden. The garden itself is beautiful and private, and lovingly maintained. And the location within the town of Salins-les-Bains was convenient, with a good bakery right across the street and the museum and some restaurants just a minute away.
However. From the pictures, I had assumed the house was in a quaint little town, with a river running along the walls on one side and surrounded by greenery. I knew from the comments that there was a street, but thought that it could be ignored, more or less. What I didn't realize was that the house was right on the busy main street through town, with half of the bedrooms and the living and dining room facing that side of the building. After we had paid and had a chance to look at the location on Google Maps, I also noticed that there is a parking lot right behind the garden. So, this is definitely NOT country living... Now, the parking lot is actually quiet and you don't see it, as the garden walls are high - plus, it provides convenient free parking. But the street posed a problem for us - being the only road through the valley it is quite busy and loud, and it was impossible to sleep with open windows. When the windows are closed, it is ok, but we came during a hot spell and keeping the windows closed all day was not an option. The 2 rooms facing the garden, on the other hand, are lovely and quiet, generously proportioned and beautifully furnished. There was also a "garden apartment" offered to us (we started out as a big group) but noone wanted it as it is segregated from the rest of the living area in the back of the garden, isolated from the main apartment with its huge dining room (wonderful!), salon (so lovely), living room (very cozy), two (!) kitchens and the balcony which was big enough to host a group of 10 diners. A 6th room was located on the mezzanine, but also facing the street and, as it is lower, it doesn't make up for the street with a view over the roofs across the street and onto the wooded valley side with the old fort on it. As we ended up a much smaller group than anticipated, we used only the 4 main bedrooms of the main apartment - and as I mentioned before: THAT was absolutely worth it!
